"'A fascinating story and a vivid picture of Britain in the 1940s.' The Times. 'The author has a wonderful gift for hanging a richly woven tapestry around an essentially simple frame.' Times Education Supplement."

Michelle Magorian was born in 1947 in Southsea, Portsmouth, of a Welsh mother and Irish father with an Armenian surname! Michelle spent her toddler years in Singapore and aged 7-9 in Australia. Michelle trained for the theatre at The Rose Bruford College of speech and drama in Kent from 1968 to 1969. It was while there that she started writing regularly. From 1969-1970 she was a mime student in Paris. Since then Michelle has worked in theatre, television and films and has an established reputation as a comedienne, performing in plays and musicals. Michelle also toured with her one woman mime show in Italy and England. Michelle's first novel Goodnight Mister Tom was published in the UK in 1981 and won numerous awards including the Guardian Children's Fiction Award. Michelle's other books include A Little Love Song, A Spoonful of Jam and Cuckoo in the Nest. In July 2006 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Portsmouth University.